Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin Talk What scope for Marlin 336?

Ok so I haven't yet made my final decision about 35 Rem or to convert it to 356 win. But I've pretty much settled it will be a 336 Marlin.

But I know I'll put a scope on it. I know most will probably say not to. but....

I hunt in a deer management area and I must count the points on the deer BEFORE shooting. While I'm pretty sure about my abilities to hit the deer with the open sights, but I'm not so sure about being able to see the points. Especially in low light conditions.

Also is there some very low shoot through mounts so that I can have the ability to use the open sights in addition to the scope?

I would prefer to have a vari power but I will most likely leave it in about 4X most of the time. Again I'd like to have the ability to dial in a stronger power if I need to.

For the 336 would you recommend a compact or a "normal" size?

Any brands that offer good value for the $?

No, they're all hideous, but there are some great lightweight binoculars to be had. That approach would keep your rifle lean & mean (reciever sight), and the binoculars can be used for all kinds of stuff, year-round.



Any scope is going to seriously screw up the handling qualities of your rifle (especially if you go with a see-through mount), so you may as well get some quality optics out of the deal. I'd stay away from the compact models. I think you would like the Leupold VX-III 1.75-6x32mm. It offers decent magnification, field of view, brightness and clarity, and it's a good value in the long run. If that's too much money, you might consider looking for a used one.

No good mounts that I know off allow you to use the iron sights as well....but then if you get a good scope you don't need the irons ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I use a Nikon 4x in Warne Rings and bases. I'm not normally a Warne fan but they offer the lowest mount I could find for the Marlin.

I second the use of good binocs to assess deer head gear.
I am currently looking at these two items for my wifes 336:

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/182265
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/477276

Check out Natchez for the Weaver. Their website shows it in stock for $106.95.


http://natchezss.com/product.cfm?content...FTOKEN=30573892

I've got the answer.



I searched high and low for the right site and optics for my 336 .35 Rem, and I think I have the best looking and functioning set up.



One the receiver, I got 2 piece, low profile weaver steel scope mounts. The are matt black and small, low, but strong, and match the receiver perfectly.



I replaced the front bead site with an AO (XS) front post with the white stripe. I pulled the stock rear site and capped that. I don't like the AO scout scope mount set up.



I have an AO (or whatever they call themselves now) removeable ghost ring site that they make to fit on a weaver mount. Comes on and off with a nickle, and is windage and elevation adjustable. It looks way better than the big permanant ghost ring site they sell in the kit.



This is an awesome looking ghost ring site system that looks great, and is very accurate.



Next, I have a Leupold Vari X-3 2.5x8 with the Leupold removeable scope rings. These are very nice rings with the Lever on them. It returns to zero every time. Of course a lower power scope may be better, but this is the only extra one I had.



So now I have the choice of a scope, but if the weather gets bad, and I need a brush gun, it takes all of about 2 minutes to change over to an awesome ghost ring site set up with full sight radius.



Best of all it looks fantastic- better than ANY setup I've seen on a 336.



ML

I had a 1.5X5 Leupold on my 45/70 1895. I really liked it. I can shoot a low powered scope better and faster than I can irons. Any low powered variable would be a good choice. I like the 5X in the range for target/load work and leave it on 1.5 when in the timber. If I forget (I don't think I ever did, checking my scope/saftey/chamber etc is kinda like zipping up when you leave the urinal) I can still make any shot on 5X.

Leupold, Burris, Weaver GS, Bushnell, Nikon, etc, etc all make nice low powered variables. Eye relief is critical for the scope to really perform for you, so consider that. A woods rifle doesn't need fancy hold over reticles but the Bushnell Firefly might be a gimmick worth a look.

Low mounts are best. That way you align with the scope immediately when the gun comes to shoulder. The sight throughs are nothing more than a useless gimmick for most hunting rifles in my opinion. I tried them once and quickly became aware of their drawbacks. It should be illuminating that there are no upper end see throughs for hunting rifles from the majors.

Good luck and good hunting!

Scoping a marlin is not the worst thing in the world, but those damned see-thru mounts are! They make it so you have to put your chin on the stock to see through the scope, and there is too much clutter around the irons to use them effectively.

It seems the see thrus are so prevalent on marlin levers and I can't figure it. I viscerally hate those things after using them on a loaner gun when I started hunting. I always ask the owners of the gun why they put those things on there, "Why?" the response is always the same, "in cse the scope fails..." Get a decent scope! They also always seem to have dirt cheap glass on their rifles. Never have i met someone where a scope failed on one of these and rthey made a shot with the iron sights.

I hae a buddy, whose brother set up all four of his hunting rifles with see-thrus, and I have been slowly replacing them for him. I check the zero on his irons and all have off so badly, he would have a problem hitting a barn from the inside. So al lot of good they were doing.

I have a 1.5x-5x Vari-X III in low Talleys on mine. I leave it on 1.5x.

For the aesthetics, if for no other reason, I prefer a 20mm, or straight tube scope on my Marlin lever guns.

The best I have found so far are the FX-II 2.5 fixed power Leupold, and the Pentax 1.75-5X Gameseeker, as mounted here on a Marlin 336 SRC

I'm with mannlicher on this one. I just bought a Leupold FX II 2.5 ultralight wide duplex to swap between my 1894 and 336 using Leupold rifleman mounts and qd rings. The scope is about 7 ounces, short in length and really and great eye relief. I got this for its size and to have a finer sight picture than that afforded by the stock iron sights. I tried the scout type setup but didn't like it as much as a receiver mounted scope...

Be safe

patty

i put a vx-1 in 2-7 on my marlin 336 .35 . i think its a 33 mm tube. it performs well and i think its proportionate to the rifle. a 40mm looks giant on that gun

I know its not home made, but you might look at a 2x7-40 Swift. Son has one on his 336 and loves it.

I suggest a XS rail and a scout scope if possible. The rail uses the rear sight dovetail and front scope mount holes. Weaver rings. Compare hammer access with this one and the photo above. One can operate the hammer behind a scout scope with a catcher's mitt. He may haver trouble getting his finger inside the trigger guard though.

As has been said..DON"T use the see through mounts. Put up high a scope becomes a monstrosity and peering under the scope compromises the open sights as well. It's an idea that just doesn't work out in practice. Also I agree that binoculars are what you use to verify game. That being said a low powered scope is faster than open sights if you practice the scope.

I used the scout scope set up for a while. Never worked well for me. I found it no faster than a regular scope set-up and I just never got used to it. Saw no advantage at all and I tried.

Something about the old straight, steel tubed Weavers looks good on the Marlin. My 450 Marlin now wears an El-Paso 3X with post and crosshair. In reserve is the same scope with crosshairs. I like the Weaver 1X, 1.5X and 2.5X as well. They all are in use on various rifles. The 1.5X is a great 44 magnum scope. It's like looking through the window and amazingly fast.

Best new scope in this class(IMO) is the 2.5 Leupold light weight. Mine lives on my 358 Norma and is a good rig. A bit brighter than the Weavers but no tougher and much more expensive. The recoil of the light Norma by the way has trashed every variable I have put on it including Leupold. The Fixed 2.5 is still alive after 300 rounds and counting.

I used the Ashley ghost for a while. Worked well. I am old enough that a scope works even better. 3X is a great combination of field and magnification for big game although 2.5 is about as good and 4X also works. I have shot game to 350 yards at 3X. I have also shot game at 10 yards with 3X. Never felt greatly handicapped in either case.